Norman Jewison Books

I saw this book in the book store the other night and almost bought it. Norman Jewison was on the TCM documentary of Steve McQueen, seemed like a nice guy with some fascinating stories, and I thought it would be interesting to read about his career and all the celebrities he has worked with.

I thumbed through the book, reading bits and pieces. On the back cover was a praising review from Gore Vidal - Strike 1. Below that was a praising review from Cher - Strike 2. Inside was a picture of Jewison with Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas - Strike 3. Not to mention the book states John Wayne supposedly called Jewison a "pinko Canadian." Also not to mention a few other things I found offensive. I put the book back on the shelf, kept looking and wound up buying "Capote," about the life of Truman Capote. He was a Southerner, a writer, hob-nobbed with the rich and famous, and on the back book cover it said he had a feud with Gore Vidal. Home run.

I finished this in three days and found it to be a fine book. Between 1965 and 1968 Norman Jewison directed 'The Cincinnati Kid', 'The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming','In the Heat of the Night' and the original 'The Thomas Crown Affair'. The book is at its best covering those years and those films. Chapters on 'Fiddler on the Roof' and 'Moonstruck' were not quite as successful. The most recent films-'Other People's Money','Only You' and 'Hurricane'-were treated rather briskly.